Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel isn’t opposed to a reunion with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who left the team last year to sign a $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Doors are always open,” McDaniel said Friday. “[I’m] very happy with the progression of what we need from our young guys and focused on the Panthers and our own guys specifically, but Chris (Grier) is always at work and there’s never anything that’s closed.”

Wilkins, 29, played only five games with the Raiders before he suffered a foot injury that ended his season. When the defensive tackle wasn’t ready to participate in training camp earlier this year, Las Vegas released Wilkins and attempted to void much of the guaranteed money on his contract due to how he approached his rehab. The Raiders also alleged Wilkins was investigated by their human resources department after making a teammate uncomfortable with a kiss on the head.

In response to the Raiders’ attempt to void more than $35 million in guaranteed money, the NFL Players Association filed a grievance against the team on Wilkins’ behalf.

Regardless of the outcome of the grievance, Wilkins is a free agent and it’s no mystery why the Dolphins are being circled as a logical landing place. While the team drafted three defensive tackles in the 2025 NFL draft, including first-round pick Kenneth Grant, the young linemen haven’t made the early impact the Dolphins hoped to see.

Through four games, the Dolphins have allowed the fourth most rushing yards per carry (5.1) and the team is in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks with eight.

Wilkins recorded at least 10 tackles for loss in each of his last three seasons in Miami and notched nine sacks in his last year with the team. Health permitting, Wilkins could potentially provide the Dolphins defensive line with a jolt.

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: ‘Doors are always open’ for Christian Wilkins reunion with Dolphins